Hayao Miyazaki

By: Lena Pineda

I chose this animator mainly because he inspired me to draw. I also grew up with his movies. His movies are considered a work of art by people around the world, including those in the US. He is considered a animation pioneer because of his stye of animation. He allows no more than 10% of the footage in his films to be computer generated, but also uses inovative techniques. His backgrounds are extrememly detailed and he uses different locations in almost every movie.

Hayao Miyazaki was born January 5th, 1941, in Tokyo, Japan. Although he graduation from Gakushuin University with a degree in political science & economics, he chose to pursue a different path. He started his career in 1963 as a beginning animator at Toei Douga Studio, and helped draw some classic movies. He was recognised early on in his career with his endless imagination and amazing drawing skills. In 1971 he went into the A Pro Studio, then to Nippon Animation in 1973. He finallly directed his own idea for a series in 1978 (Fututre Boy Conan). He directed his first movie in 1979, the classic The Castle of Cagliostro. He had started a manga in 1982 and eventually, two years later, made it into a movie called Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. The success of this movie launched the start of Studio Ghibli, where he has written, directed, and drawn various movies and series. All of the films that have come from Studio Ghibli have been popular and recieved box office successes. One of his more notable movies, Princess Mononoke (1997) recieved the Japanese equivelent of the Academy award for Best Film and got the most money (about $150 million USD) in Japan's history at the time of its release. He was also invited to attent the 2002 Academy Awards, but refused. Miyazaki's latest release was Howl's Moving Castle (2004) based of of a novel by Diana Wynne Jones. Although this was suppposed to be his last film, he has hinted that there is another masterpiece to be produced. His career has lasted five decades and he has attaine dinternational acclaim as a masterful storyteller and animator. He has also been described to be the combining elements of Walt Disney, Steven spielberg, and Orson welles. Some film critics have even suggested that he may be one of the best animation filmakers in history, with the depths of his plots and detailed characters and scenery. In 2014 Miyazaki was awarded an Honorary Academy Award for his impact on animation and cinema.